Tongs for keying fence-clips.



No. 649,887. Patented May l5, I900. F. CANFIELD.

TUNES FUR KEYING FENCE CLIPS.

(Application filed June 6, 1899,)

(No Model.)

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UNTTnn STATns PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK CANFIELD, OF BOULDER, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN \VIREFENCE COMPANY, OF COLORADO.

TONGS FOR KEYING FENCE-CLIPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 649,887, dated May 15,1900.

Application filed June 6, 1399. Serial No. 719,554. (No model.)

To (tZZ whom it may concern:

lie it known that I, FRANK CANFIELD, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Boulder, in the county of Boulder and State ofColorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tongs;and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings,and

to the letters and figures of reference marked.

thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in tongs specially intended forinserting the wedge-shaped keys in the fastening-clips in wire-fenceconstruction, my object being to provide a device of this class whichshall be simple in construction, economical in cost, reliable, durable,and efficient in use; and to these ends the invention consists of thefeatures hereinafter described and claimed, all of which will be fullyunderstood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which isillustrated an embodiment thereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of the device shown indetail. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same with the jaws open andshown on a largerscale. Fig. 3 isa fragmentary perspective view of thetongs in use.

Similar reference characters indicating corresponding parts in theviews, let the numerals 5 and 6 designate the jaws of the tongs, whichare hinged or pivoted at 7 and provided with arms 5 and 6 of any desiredlength in order to obtain the required leverage. The jaw 5 will betermed the lower jaw and the jaw 6 the upper jaw in this specification.The lower jaw is provided with vertical and transverse slots A and B,intersecting or crossing each other at right angles. The cooperatingface of the upper jaw is beveled to fit the top of the wedge, as shownat D.

The use of my improved tool will be fully understood by reference toFig. 3 of the drawings, in which 8 designates a U-shaped fastening-clip,in the closed end of which is seated the wire 9. The arms of this clipare apertured to receive the stay 10 and the wedgeshaped fastening-key12. The stay is inserted next to the wire and the wedging'key outside ofthe stay. It is essential that this key be tightly inserted in the clipin order to properly perform its function-namely, the holding of theassembled parts in operative relation. My improved tongs is theinstrument for accomplishing this end. WVhen the tongs are applied, asshown in Fig. 3, the lower arm of the clip occupies the transverse orhorizontal slot B of the lower jaw, while the wedge 12 and the stay 10pass through the vertical slot A of said jaw. The upper jaw 6 then restsupon the upper extremity of the wedge, and by the use of the lever-arms5 and 6 of the instrument the key may be forced into the clip andagainst the stay as tightly as necessary. It is evident that my improvedtongs may also be used to equal advantage in removing the wedge from theclip. In this case the position of the jaws shown in Fig. 3 would bereversed, so that the jaw 6 would engage the lower or smaller extremityof the key 12. 7 5

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. A pair of tongsadapted for inserting wedge-shaped keys in U-shaped fasteningclips inwire-fence construction, said tongs comprising two jaws pivotallyconnected and provided with suitable lever-arms, one of the jaws beingprovided with a vertical slot extending from its outer end inwardly andadapted to straddle the wedge and stay, and provided with a horizontalslot extending from its outer end inwardly and intersecting the verticalslot, the horizontal slot being adapted to receive one arm of the clipwhose other arm engages the top of the said jaw, the other jaw beingadapted to engage one extremity of the wedge.

2. A pair of tongs provided with two cooperating jaws pivotallyconnected, one of the jaws having vertical and horizontal intersectingslots extending from the outer extremity of the jaw inwardly andrespectively passing entirely through the jaw from top to bottom andfrom side toside.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK CANFIELD.

W'itnesses:

A. J. OBRIEN, NELLIE G. DANIELS.

